Dalai Lama congratulates South African President Ramaphosa on his victory

Posted by shameen Published: May 12, 2019, 11:58 pm IST

Tibet: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Sunday congratulated President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa for his victory in the elections.

In a letter to President Ramaphosa, he said: “South Africa has great potential for development and prosperity. The people of South Africa have worked hard to promote peace, democracy, and equality, in the spirit of truth and reconciliation. I’m hopeful that under your leadership the country will continue to progress, particularly in improving the lives of the less privileged.”

Dalai Lama also wished Ramaphosa success in meeting the challenges that lie ahead.

On May 11, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) won the general election securing 57.51 per cent votes.

The party retained its majority in the parliament, albeit with diminished support. President Ramaphosa, who replaced Zuma last year, now faces the challenge of regaining public confidence in a party beset with internal divisions.

The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), experienced a two per cent dip in its vote share from 2014 and secured 20.76 per cent votes.

The turnout for this year’s general elections too witnessed a drop, with around 65 per cent of people exercising their franchise, reflecting a general voter apathy towards political parties and their promises.
South Africa has a parliamentary system of government. The country’s National Assembly comprises 400 members.